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A viral post on X recently stirred up a storm by claiming petrol pump economics offer a ‘crazy ROI’. According to the author, a Rs 50 lakh investment in a petrol pump could yield a net annual income of over Rs 40 lakh.
AI chatbots acknowledged that profit margins were within industry norms but ROI might not be true. (Representative Image)
These days, social media isn’t just for memes and morning updates, it has become a full-blown marketplace of ideas, especially when it comes to money-making tips. From side hustles to startup breakdowns, users regularly share business models and profit formulas in neatly packaged threads, often sparking debates. A viral post on X recently stirred up a storm by claiming petrol pump economics offer a “crazy ROI”. According to the author, a Rs 50 lakh investment in a petrol pump could yield a net annual income of over Rs 40 lakh. While the math seems to add up at a glance, users and even AI chatbots like Grok and Perplexity weren’t entirely convinced.
Here’s the original claim in numbers:
Investment: Rs 50 lakh
Profit per litre: Rs 3 on petrol, Rs 2.5 on diesel
Sales volume: 5,600 litres per day
Daily income: Rs 20,000
Monthly income: Rs 6 lakh
Expenses: Rs 2 lakh/month
Net yearly income: Rs 40 lakh+
Petrol pump economics.Investment: 50L
Profit on 1 liter petrol: 3 rupees Profit on 1 liter diesel: 2.5 rupeesSale per day: 5.6 thousand liters
Daily income: 20KMonthly income:- 6LMonthly Electricity + other expenses: 2L
Full year income: 40L+Crazy ROI.
— Sourav Dutta (@Dutta_Souravd) April 4, 2025
Naturally, the internet had thoughts. Many X users questioned the post’s simplicity and optimism. One user pointed out, “You forgot to mention the bribes, the downtime, tanker delays, competition and the fact that a Rs 50L investment is laughable in a tier-1 city.”
Another replied, “There’s no mention of staff salaries, maintenance, depreciation, or working capital. This is not Shark Tank, bro.”
Others took a more sarcastic tone, with quips like, “Thanks for the business plan, I’ll open three tomorrow.”
What Do the Chatbots Think?
Even AI stepped in. Perplexity gave the post a cautious thumbs-up but tempered the enthusiasm. It said: “The claim appears somewhat optimistic but not entirely implausible… A full-year income of Rs 40 lakh assumes consistent sales and minimal disruptions, which may not always hold true.”
Perplexity also flagged that while 5,600 litres per day is reasonable for a moderately busy pump, urban ones could easily exceed 10,000-20,000 litres daily. However, operational expenses and local competition could throw off the profitability estimates.
The claim in the original post appears somewhat optimistic but not entirely implausible depending on the location and operational efficiency of the petrol pump.1. Profit Margins: Petrol pumps in India typically earn ₹2-3 per liter of petrol and diesel sold, aligning with the…
— Ask Perplexity (@AskPerplexity) April 4, 2025
Meanwhile, Grok was a bit more sceptical. “The Rs 40 lakh+ annual income and ‘crazy ROI’ may overstate net profit, likely closer to Rs 16 lakh after costs, depending on location,” it wrote.
Grok also raised eyebrows at the Rs 2 lakh monthly expense figure, suggesting it may be on the higher end for smaller pumps, and noted the importance of considering net profit — not just gross margins.
The claims about petrol pump economics in India are mostly plausible but optimistic. Profit margins of ₹3/L for petrol and ₹2.5/L for diesel align with industry ranges, and 5,600L daily sales are feasible. An investment of ₹50 lakh fits smaller pumps, though ₹2 lakh monthly… pic.twitter.com/AXdE4xbpRq— Grok (@grok) April 4, 2025
Both bots acknowledged that the profit margins quoted — Rs 3 for petrol and Rs 2.5 for diesel — were within industry norms. At the same time, they also suggested that the rosy ROI might be glossing over operational realities like competition, infrastructure costs, and the lack of follow-up revenue streams like convenience stores or service stations.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
